The Dreaming Tree
by Staralfur
Summary: The life-giving tree of legend is being destroyed by minions of the Dark Lords. The peoples defending that tree are diminishing. So one of them is sent to seek out Dante's aid. (This story has some slight Tolkien references.)
1. Before These Crowded Streets

In the endless woods of the endless world a beautiful, a young maiden walked slowly, her sensitive ears hearing every sound. A soft breeze rustled her long, brown hair, that was only slightly visible from under her cloak, as it did the leaves on the mighty trees surrounding her. Her purple, velvet dress flowed with her lithe form as she lightly tread over the vivid green grass. The woman's pale skin was almost as ghostly as the white coat of the horse who walked next to her. She looked up at the canopy lying over her head, after her companion started feeling the excitement and desire that was associated with this place of eternal life, seeing the rays of the sun create constant spotlights on the ground beneath her feet. As she reached out and touched the neck of the creature beside her, the horse's excitement was calmed, as her touch was comforting and soft. A little while longer they walked, letting the sun lower its position in the sky, creating an ethereal feeling and appearance as the golden light mixed with the darkening sky, but the maiden was perfectly comfortable in her element. She walked on unassumingly.  
  
But her steps quickly faltered as she and her companion stopped before a special tree. An ancient tree. It was the largest of the lot, standing well over five hundred feet above the heads of the others. A clearing around its roots gave the impression that the others were almost intimidated by its greatness and power. She continued walking towards the tree, stepping out into the open meadow that seperated this tree from the others. As twilight neared and they sky turned its shade to a darker blue, a few minor lights started appearing under the great trees boughs. But a few moments later, the lights grew in number until everywhere she walked there was a light by her side. The woman's companion snorted happily at the sight of the flying illuminations. Though the sky drew dark, the young woman did not lose one step for she, too, had a pale light emanating from her.  
  
Holding out her finger, inviting a tiny light, the young woman smiled. The creature landed, almost weightlessly, allowing her to get a closer view as its wings stopped beating. A soft, blue light was emanating from the small faerie, temporarily giving the horse's coat the same color. Kissing the creature's head very gently, that blue light greatly grew. He giggled lightly and flew off, receiving a fond smile from the woman. As the maiden resumed her haunt and stepped near the great tree, its boughs lowered, welcoming the company. The horse turned back, worrying her but, as it quickly came back, another smile graced her lips. A little yellow faerie rested on top of the creature's twisted horn. She laughed and the small being flew toward her, brushing her hood back leaving her pointed ear exposed. She giggled and flew away, as well. The immortal walked up and, as she neared the tree, she reached out a thin arm and touched its trunk. The energy that passed from one being to the other uplifted her spirit, giving her renewed hope in her time of need. She sat down between of its protruding roots and rested her back against the tree, the unicorn followed suit. It was a few hours before the celestial light of the moon guided her home. 


	2. It Feels The Falling Dark

The lights of the town were bright against the dark of the night. And a forest of an even darker black rested along the outskirts of said town. In fact, it surrounded the entire place... save for one small road. Which was the only road in and out of the town. But not all in it was dark. For tiny, barely visible lights could be seen near a large, towering life that emitted its own pale, desperate light. A life that, soon, would no longer be able to be called that. Though, even with the street lights and the tiny lights of the forest an even greater light was shown. One that gave hope. It was a large, pink, neon sign.  
  
In that old building with the sign was a not-so-old man. Though he bore one quality of an old man he could never be mistaken for one. No elderly person, no matter how "alive" they yet were, could ever leap on top of a two-story home nor could they wield a sword larger than themselves. But this man could. With strength and speed surpassing any average human, he defeated the legions of the Underworld... just as his father had done before him. And that was something he was proud of, although, that pride and confidence never went, completely, to his head. Because he knew that, if it did, he'd have been lost to the world many years ago.  
  
This man owned a very... peculiar business. One that a town plagued by demons needed, which was the reason he first decided to live there. But amazing opportunities, great pay, and wonderful bars were the things that kept him there. His business was called "Devil Never Cry" and he was called Dante Sparda. Inside his home he sat on his large leather chair, heels propped upon his dark, wooden desk, polishing his prized, handmade weapons, Ebony and Ivory. Those twin pistols had been, through his entire devil hunting career, the only partners he ever had or needed. And even though plenty of good partners had come along, one including a very stunning female demon, he had never wanted one. So he never took one. He wasn't exactly the kind to do that sort of thing because, in actuality, a teammate would only slow him down.  
  
The business line had rung quite a few times that night but only thrice had it been an actual proposition with a password. And all of them had been no serious threat, just a mere Marionette or Frost problem, nothing he couldn't handle well enough. So Dante used the rest of his night to fix up his precious weapons like he did religiously. For nearly three hours he sat in that chair, only moving to pick up the other weapons he'd used earlier. And each and every one of them was polished and cleaned until not even one speck of dirt could could be seen or felt. Dante took such care, making sure that there was never anything wrong with any of his weapons, because they'd saved his life quite a few times.  
  
After those hours had passed, at nearly two in the morning, he headed upstairs to finally find some rest. But, just as he started to change, there came a knock on the door. Disgruntled, Dante slipped his shirt back on and reluctantly went to the door. As he opened it he sighed and turned his head in disgust.  
  
"You gonna pay up or do we have to make ya?" Asked a man with a heavy New York accent, surrounded by his gang. The half-demon laughed, seeing that they had no idea who, or what, he was.  
  
"Well, if you really expect me to pay for protection I don't need at all then you're gonna have to make me. But... hurry up, I'm busy." Was his quick, confident reply.  
  
From a thick shadow, a cloaked figure watched the ensuing fight intently with curious, knowing eyes. The first move, obviously enough, was made by the member of the gang who had brought it on. He threw his fist forward in an attempt to make contact with Dante's jaw but the man ducked easily and, in response, returned the move. But his fist found its target, the other's stomach, and Dante, just before his punch landed, brought his arm up in a last-minute-uppercut. Dante smiled, hearing the howl the gang member produced, knowing that at least one of the man's ribs was broken.  
  
The white-haired man just stood there, even as the others trapped him in a circle, because he knew what they did not. As they charged, Dante triggered, immediately stopping them in their tracks. Not one dared move, for they had taken on creatures like that but had never succeeded. Dante still stood there, waiting. But before he bothered to do anything, the gang ran away, literally carrying the one who had suffered under the half- demon's anger.  
  
He switched back, sighing. "Goddamn punks..." The figure in the shadows watched him as he reentered his home, knowing that he was the one.  
  
Dante, as he tore off his shirt and fell back upon his bed, felt a strange image appear in his mind. One that filled him with unknown and uncommon depression. He closed his eyes under the weight of it. The image showed a large tree, at night, with little but happily bright, darting lights all around the circumference of it. Then the image changed from one picture to, what seemed like, an entire movie. All of the images he was seeing were from over hundreds of years. Constantly changing. But, for a few minutes while the surrounding trees changed, the large one didn't. Not until he was looking at a time that seemed more recent. The smaller trees grew dark and weary quickly but the Dreaming Tree held out. It's light started growing dim only after all the others' had. Which left Dante with a picture of the present in his mind. The tree was there, of course but it was... near death. It's once bright green leaves were graying. It's trunk had changed from being completely earth brown to now having spots of shadow black taking over. The lights under it, the faeries, lessened in numbers as these changes took place. Fear grew inside their hearts for the place they once relished was becoming a place full of evil and despair. The Dreaming Tree was becoming a place that would no longer give life... but, as it was slowly being conquered, take it away. 


	3. Have You No Pity?

"It will not go as we planned. He'll never go along with everything." Spoke the elf in a room of barely twenty of her kin.  
  
"And why not? He fights for good not ill." Another elf replied, almost angrily.  
  
"He fights for not a side but revenge, have you not heard? That life of his is spent hunting... not protecting. We are going to the wrong person for this."  
  
"Celebrian, we have no reason to assume he'd not help."  
  
"We have every reason to assume so." She corrected.  
  
"You fear him and his aid... because of that blood." Was the other's confident reply.  
  
"If I feared him I'd have never followed him." The elf maiden left the room in a hurry, clearly distraught by their false hope. It was something she didn't understand. How they could believe that the Hunter would help them? He never helped without a purpose and, even though they had one, he'd never completely believe them. It was too unreal. And his lack of help would end up destroying everything in the world, allowing the Underworld to reign supreme.  
  
The elf was so lost that she decided to prove herself wrong and find him again. Realizing that taking a chance with him would be better than not trying at all, she walked briskly to her room and wrapped her cloak around her nearly-bare shoulders. She left their houses in the trees near the Dreaming Tree and, quickening her pace, directed herself, through the rain, into the town. Her first thought was, because the walk was rather long, to take her unicorn companion along with her but the elf knew that the people of the town would not respond well to the sight of one. The woman already understood that she was taking a rather large chance going herself, because of the race to which she belonged . Not many people had seen an elf before and she wasn't sure of how they would react but she had to go. For the sake of the world.  
  
Dante had just come back from the upstairs of his home and was heading towards the door, getting ready to leave. He grabbed his keys from a hook next to the door but, before he could reach out his arm for the doorknob, there came a knock at the door. Opening it, Dante was shocked at what he saw.  
  
A cloaked woman with long, brown hair was standing in front of him. She was shivering from the ghastly cold weather and rain; her hair and clothes were wet from the walk. The wet drops glided down the velvet of the cloak like a skater on ice. In perfect movements. As he looked at her for another minute, Dante realized that she must of been of some importance because of her elegant dress and cloak. And, after he'd stolen a glance at her from under her cloak, he saw that not only was she a very attractive woman, but she was, quite possible, the fairest and purest he'd ever seen.  
  
"What do you need?" He asked, deciding to take it a little bit easier on the beautiful woman who'd found him.  
  
"Your aid." She replied simply. The voice she spoke with was so melodic and ethereal that Dante, literally, felt his spirit rise. A feeling he'd never felt before and one he didn't understand at all. And, when she lowered her hood, he saw that she was even more beautiful than he'd noticed before.  
  
"Been gettin' that a lot lately, my aid with what?"  
  
"Saving the world. Again, as I have been told." Finally catching on, Dante remembered one thing from old legends that his mother had told him about so he boldly reached out a hand and brushed back the hair covering the woman's ear. He bit his lip as he saw that the tip of it was pointed.  
  
He had found words with which to reply to her words but, before he could, a man walked by that he had a bad feeling about. The thug had almost passed Devil Never Cry but he noticed Dante shooting a very warning and upset glare at him. But the man made no effort to direct his gaze away from the elf, after he'd apparently he'd noticed her ear. "An elf...?" He asked as if it was a glorious thing.  
  
She spun around quickly, understanding her situation by merely the tone of his voice. He wasn't pleased or honored to have seen one of the rare race. No, he wasn't happy enough with sight because he pulled out a chain that was hanging from a pocket on his jeans and started walking towards her. "You oughta catch a hefty price back home." He said greedily.  
  
The elf tried to move but found that she couldn't. She'd been told of people like this man and had been assured that she could protect herself well enough against them but, as she stood there, she was frozen with fear and uncertainty. As she looked back at her arm she saw a strong hand. Dante grabbed a gun from his black, leather coat and aimed it at the thug. "Try it." He had to laugh because he had just seen a bandage under the man's torn shirt and coat. It was the same man that had attacked him the night before.  
  
"Gladly." Replied the thug. As he moved towards the elf maiden, Dante pulled her back, gently, into his place, turning himself so that he was blocking the immortal. Then he fired at the man's leg, dropping him to the ground, and quickly aimed at the man's forehead, pausing his movements. The white-haired man stepped back, continuing his protection of the woman behind him, and saw that the man's "comrades" were there, too. So he quickly kicked the door shut and, letting go of the elf's arm, locked the door.  
  
"I... I didn't mean to cause you any trouble." She spoke quickly, fearing that she may have caused harm or angered Dante.  
  
"No, it wasn't any trouble." And he wasn't lying or joking. From the first day his mother had taught him about them, Dante loved elves. In fact, out of all the races that had occupied the Earth, elves were his favorite. He had more respect for them and held them in greater awe than he held anything.  
  
Dante, letting his childhood feelings out again, caught a reminder of how much he adored them and of a promise he'd made his dying mother, the one who made him understand just how special and beautiful the elves were. He had told her that, because she had loved them so dearly, he would do anything an elf asked him to. Guaranteeing her that, in any way he could, he would protect the last of that fair race. And he wasn't about ready to go back on his word.  
  
"So... why does the world need saving this time?"  
  
"You're not even going to bother wondering why it's an elf who's coming to you?"  
  
"That's the reason I'm asking." That was his subtle hint of his love for the race.  
  
"Well, you're not going to believe me."  
  
"I'm gonna try, okay? It's the least I can do."  
  
She looked up at him with curious and questioning eyes, knowing that, from everything she'd heard about the man, he was never this kind to anyone. But she dismissed that thought. "There is a tree... called the Dreaming Tree. It is the giver of all life on this planet. And it is under siege."  
  
"A tree?" He asked, skeptically.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And it's under siege?" Dante asked again, trying to believe.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"By who?"  
  
"Demon-kind. Beings of the Otherworld." Dante nearly laughed, happily, knowing that elves always were a lone race. The names they gave things and places were their own, as was the name "Otherworld."  
  
"Well, I guess this is my kinda business after all."  
  
"That's why I'm here."  
  
"But, honey, I'm gonna need more information than that. Like, first of all, where this tree is." Dante replied softly.  
  
"So you're telling me that, though you've lived here your whole life, you've not seen this tree? This tree that is very visible?" As Dante let his gaze fall on her, her eyes seemed to be laughing at him. Something he wasn't used to.  
  
That shocked him. "And you're telling me that it's here...?"  
  
"Yes. In fact, it's barely outside of town. It's in a clearing in the forest. Honestly, I cannot believe that you live here and you haven't even noticed it's towering boughs."  
  
"I guess I never paid much attention to it before. But, what are the demons doing to it?"  
  
"They are trying to cut it down."  
  
"Why is that such a big deal, I mean, it's just a tree... right?"  
  
The immortal laughed. "You really are naive, aren't you?"  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Because it's not just a tree. The Dreaming Tree is the source of all life here on Earth. Every living thing gets its strength and power from that eternal being. Even you." Dante smiled again. "Which means that if it is destroyed then everything will meet the same fate. A black plague will spread across the lands, devouring all in its path. A plague that will leave no life."  
  
"Wait. It won't affect the demons, will it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then how do I get my life from the Dreaming Tree?"  
  
"You don't get all of it from the tree. And, considering that, you wouldn't die if it was cut down."  
  
"What'll happen?"  
  
"You'd be living a half-life. Death will not have taken you but you wouldn't be alive. You'd be living but you'd be dead. And you'd be completely demonic, because the human side of you needs that tree to survive."  
  
"So, the human half of me would die and the demon side would take over?"  
  
"Yes and, most likely, you'd join with them. Becoming a demon, until... the end of time."  
  
"Oh, well that's something to look forward to." 


End file.
